Endangered By Sprawl

How Runaway Development Threatens America's Wildlife

Sprawling development poses one of the most serious threats to America’s wildlife heritage. Left unmanaged, sprawl could consume significant portions of the remaining green space in the country’s fastest growing large metro areas and counties, which are home to nearly one-third of imperiled species in the U.S. Despite the threat, most local governments have failed to protect their open space from sprawling development. However, there are several exceptions across the country. This report compiles models of green infrastructure protection, and identifies six tools for successful programs: